Battling between Heart and Head

It started out as just another Thursday for me! I had an interview scheduled with a journalist. So I headed to Starbucks, had a coffee and a great banter on many subjects while the journalist took notes.

Bangalore traffic is bad and usually people who work from home don’t get out unless it’s something important. As I was already out, I really wanted to catch up with a dear friend for a long overdue girl time. And she did seem upset over the phone earlier. But I thought it was nothing a few drinks and good food and laughter could not sort out.

Like many girls we walked into a restaurant, thankful it was a weekday as we got a table immediately.

We had hardly been seated a minute when my friend looked at me in utter anguish and blurted, ‘He has been recalled. It’s serious business now.’

She was talking about her husband.

I only took a minute to let this sink in and my first instinct was to call my sis-in-law.

‘ Di we are coming back from the holiday, his leave is cancelled”, my sis-in-law said.

That hit me like a ton of bricks. And my friend and I just sat there and hugged and cried in a restaurant full of people. We have no clue for how long. But our hearts were filled with both pride and fear.

Yes she is a proud wife and I’m a proud sister. But this is serious. We want our loved ones to be safe. The entire restaurant looked on as two ladies cried hysterically, oblivious to the fact that the beer they were enjoying on that table is because women like us have our family members protecting the nation at the borders. No matter how much this idea of war sounds exciting on news debates, it is the families that have their most precious at stake.

I’ve written books on war and felt very proud of our soldiers but today it’s going to be someone I love the most in my life at that peril. My heart skips a beat at that thought.

All that I can do is sit and pray, and not let them fall weak. As a sister, a part of me will never want him there but as a citizen of the country I’ll tell him, ‘Go get those bastards!’

You give them OROP or not, give them fair pay commissions or not, they’ll keep delivering with more than the best of their capabilities and abilities – that’s the spirit of Indian Armed Forces!

Jai Hind!

6 Comments on “Battling between Heart and Head”

Rajiv Tandon

September 30, 2016 at 11:18 am

God bless our brave army and their families.
We owe a lot to you all.
For the moment , Respect and good wishes.
We will also stand by you at all times .
warm regards

Navnit Khera

COL Sukhwant Singh

Rajesh bhardwaj

September 30, 2016 at 6:10 pm

Bhaavns, having lost our uncle capt rs bhardwaj in poonch in 1948 and son major ankit bhardwaj in moltuk manipur in 2008 it is terrible but has to be done by someone for the country. Can understsnd your anxiety and pray. Only regret is that after such sacrifices the establishment should be more caring not in short run only but for quite some time to enable families get out of nerve wrecking period.

Lt Col U S Gill, SM. (War Disabled)

October 1, 2016 at 11:51 am

A big mind ought to have a big heart
By the grace of God we are destinies children/ puppets
Here on earth to play our destined roles
So be it as ordained
‘ I kill in the name of the Almighty, for his cause (?)and shall die a martyr for his cause’
Babur
Is duniya mein aaye hai to jana bhi hai. Kaise Khuda jane